MIL-STD-2073.pdf

This is an informational guide from the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) published in March 2014 providing guidance on packaging and marking requirements for Department of Defense contracts and solicitations.

The guide covers the locations where packaging requirements appear within federal solicitation documents (Section D for Packaging & Marking), hazardous materials packaging regulations for different transportation modes (Title 49 CFR for land, IMO/IMDG for water, ICAO/IATA for commercial air, and AFMAN 24-204_IP for military air), and ASTM D-3951 standards for commercial packaging. It details five basic military preservation methods: Method 10 (physical protection), Method 20 (preservative coating), Method 30 (waterproof protection), Method 40 (watervaporproof protection), and Method 50 (watervaporproof with desiccant). The guide includes visual illustrations of each method and specifies container types, wrapping materials, cushioning requirements, and marking specifications aligned with MIL-STD-2073-1E and MIL-STD-129. Key specifications referenced include MIL-DTL-117 for heat-sealable bags, MIL-DTL-6060 for complex bags, MIL-STD-147 for palletization standards using 40" x 48" pallets with maximum 3,000 lbs gross weight, and packaging requirement codes (PRCs) that translate into specific preservation, wrapping, cushioning, and container selections. The document also addresses special markings for shelf-life, project codes, fragile items, Method 50 labels, expedited handling, hazardous materials, electrostatic discharge sensitivity, heat-treated wood packaging materials, and RFID tag requirements per DFARS Clause 252.211-7006.